This is my 2012 wrap-up video, just finished this morning. 
http://youtu.be/U5aWvYl6dQk  

If you're seeing a blurry thumbnail it should update at some point, when Youtube gets around to it.  Here is some of the video description:

www.suelacydesigns.com (blog: SueLacy Wired.)  These are selections of my foldform work from the year 2012.  Foldforming is a metal technique developed by world renowned goldsmith and educator, Charles Lewton-Brain. The technique results in three dimensional organic designs. 

I’m fortunate to have learned foldforming from Charles at the Center for Metal Arts in Florida, New York.  He visits annually to offer a 4-day conference / workshop that is simply off the charts.  The next one is Aug 2-5, 2013; for information contact [email protected] .  Seating is limited but I don’t mind sharing the news since my seat is already reserved.  Can’t wait-- this will be my third visit!  

I was the official live blogger of the 5th Annual Charles Lewton-Brain Conference in 2012.  If you’d like the insider’s view to last year’s shindigs, here you go… press your nose up to the studio glass and catch some precious moments.  www.suelacydesigns.com/1/post/2012/08/blog-index-for-5th-annual-charles-lewton-brain-conference.html .  

Metal artists:  The annual Lewton-Brain Foldform Award competition coincides with the conference each year.  If you want to compete, stay tuned to www.centerformetalarts.com for this year’s details.  View this video to see the 2012 results:  http://youtu.be/r2s0d1HqU7Q 

Over the past couple years I’ve worked with Charles and Center for Metal Arts to build community around foldforming.  Visit the public Facebook page at www.facebook.com/foldforming.  Or if you are a metalsmith join us at Foldforming Central, a specialty group for metalsmiths around the world at http://www.facebook.com/foldforming .  (Contact me directly via Facebook to request membership if your profile doesn’t show your metal work.)

Thanks for visiting!  
Sue Lacy / Jewelry artist, metalsmith, and community organizer
www.suelacydesigns.com

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Hey my thumb is all healed up, so I'm finally ready to start on 2013 metal projects.  Yay!

2012 ended with a little mishap in the kitchen.  I sliced off a small piece of my thumb with a mandolin slicer.  Wow, those things work great-- and not just on veggies.  So on New Year’s Eve our afternoon was spent at an Urgent Care getting my thumb wrapped up by a very nice doctor who obviously specializes in something else entirely, and our evening was spent at the ER getting the first ridiculous mess corrected.  

You know you're in trouble when the ER nurse and doctor bust out laughing at the handiwork of your Urgent Care doctor.  

This is the part I sliced completely off, nice and clean.  Clearly stitches were not an option.  Thank goodness the mandolin was set at 1/8" and not 1/4" right?

You're welcome for not posting my actual bloody thumb.  If you want to see one, Google away... there are plenty posted out there.  

Why share this?  

According to the ER, this often happens around the holidays when people are cooking more (you know, those of us who rarely cook otherwise) and in the summer when we're pruning in the garden.  And some of us here are metalsmiths who use jewelers' saws and metal shears year round.  So it seems right to share a few tips, obvious as they may seem, since they would  have helped me.  

Tip #4:  Listen to the doctor.  As in listen actively, critically, and logically.

At least I knew right away to see a doctor.  We chose a nearby Urgent Care because the issue seemed minor / routine but also urgent, as in continuing to bleed.  I'm not saying that all Urgent Care facilities would mess this up.  I'm just saying mine did.

These are some red flag quotes from urgent care personnel to me:

Doctor:  "This one is a real bugaboo."
Nurse:  "I don't mind a lot of blood, that doesn't bother me, but I don't like to see cut skin."
Doctor:  "Stitches are not an option, so the only way to stop the bleeding is with a compression bandage. 
This will be a real headache for 3-4 weeks."  
Me: "How do I know if the bandage is too tight and cutting off circulation?"
Doctor:  "It's a fine line.  You can come back tomorrow if there is a problem."
Nurse:  "You want to be really careful changing the dressing and keep an eye on it so you don't bleed out."
Me: "Bleed out??"
Doctor:  "If the bandage falls off while you're sleeping, your bed will look like a crime scene when you wake up." 

So I did listen with a bit of healthy skepticism.

Tip #5:  It's usually not good to cut off circulation to a body part. 
(Careful with this tip.  There are obviously some injuries that require a tourniquet.)

The doctor wrapped my thumb very tightly with some gauze and nine band-aids, then sent me home.  It felt tight but didn't hurt much at first.  After about two hours my entire hand, all the fingers, wrist, and arm up to the elbow started throbbing.  It just felt so tight.

We went to the ER to get a second opinion.  Thank goodness.

Well that's my Happy New Year post, folks :-D  Everyone have a very safe, healthy, and happy 2013!


Disclaimer:  This post is based on subjective experience and some Google searches. I'm no doctor and this is not offered as medical advice.   Please do your own research to determine any course of action.  These are my opinions based on an isolated occurrence that may not accurately reflect the medical skills of those involved.